Easy-opening setup box



March 21, 1961 G. c. SPARKS EASY-OPENING SETUP BOX Filed May 15, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 21, 1961 G. c. SPARKS 2,975,954

EASY-OPENING SETUP BOX Filed May 15, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1961 G. c. SPARKS EASY-OPENING SETUP BOX 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 15, 1959 llllllllllllra INVENTOR. 6150866 C. jP/LP/KS EASY-OPENING SETUP BOX George C. Sparks, Sparks Corp., Shurs Lane and Pechin St., Philadelphia, Pa.

Filed May 15, 1959, Ser. No. 813,399

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates generally to containers or boxes, and is especially concerned with a unique easy opening type of set-up box.

While the box construction of the present invention has been primarily developed and employed for use as a small size mailable container, say for advertising samples or merchandise, and will be illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference thereto, it is understood that box constructions of the instant invention are capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

It is believed that mailed advertising samples or merchandise are sometimes discarded by the recipient without even being removed from the mailing container, as such containers are usually difiicult and tedious to open, sometimeseven endangering the hands of persons attempting the opening operation. These drawbacks were heretofore considered inherent in meeting the structural requirements of ruggedness and durability imposed by Post Oflice regulations.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a novel and advantageous box construction which fully satisfies the structural requirements of the Post Office for mailing, and which is capable of being opened quickly and easily by a slight finger pull without the possibility of breaking fingernails or other injury.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an easy opening set-up box construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is staunch, rugged and durable, and which can be economically manufactured and filled.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

'In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view illustrating a box construction of the present invention in its closed condition, as for mailing;

Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view showing the box of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top perspective view similar to Figure l, but illustrating an initial stage of the easy opening operation;

Figure 4 is a top perspective view showing the box of Figures 1-3, but in its fully opened condition;

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating a blank adapted to be formed into a part of the boxof Figures 1-4;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, somewhat aten't' O 2,975,954 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 enlarged, showing a corner construction along the line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing an open container, but illustrating a slightly modified form of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view similar to Figure 7 but showing another slightly modified box constructed in accordance withthe teachings of the present invention; and

Figure 12 is a perspective view similar to Figures 4 and 10, but showing the embodiment of Figure 7 in open condition.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to -Figures 14 thereof, a box or container is there generally designated 20, and includes a lower part or bottom 21, and an upper part or top 22.

The lower part or bottom 21 includes a generally rec tangular base plate 25, which may be fabricated of cardboard or other suitable stifi, flat material. Seated on the upper surface of and secured to the base member or plate 25, by adhesive or any suitable means, is a formed member 26, which may be provided with upwardly facing recesses or cavities, as at 27. The formed member 26 may be fabricated of plastic, or otherwise if desired, being preferably of an outline configuration and size approximately equal to that of the base member or plate 25, and combines with the latter to define a receptacle for supporting and containing goods in the cavities 27 The top part 22 is formed from the blank 22a of Figure 5 which includesra generally rectangular main portion 30a bounded on its sides by parallel fold lines 31a and 32a, and bounded on its ends by parallel fold lines 33a and 34a extending between the side folds or fold lines. A pair of generally rectangular side extensions or flaps 35a and 36a extend laterally outward from the folds 31a and 32a, respectively. It will be observed that the extension or side flap 36a is formed with a pair of cut outs 37a adjacent to and spaced from each other, extending laterally inward from the outer edge of the flap and terminating short of the fold 32a. Further, the region 38a between the cut outs 37a defines a later-ally outwardly extending tab, for a purpose appearing hereinafter.

An additional pair of flaps or extensions 39a and 40a extend outward from the folds 33a and 34a, generally longitudinally of the rectangular main portion 30a. The flaps 39a and 40a are rectangular and coextensive with their respective connecting folds 33a and 34a, and the flaps 35a and 36a are coextensive with their respective connecting folds 3 1a and 32a.

The blank 22a is preferably fabricated of cardboard, and' advantageously cut so that the grain of the cardboard extends longitudinally of the main portion 30a, for reasons appearing presently. Extending laterally or transversely across the main blank portion 30a, spaced between the end folds 33a and 34a, are a pair of spaced, generally parallel lines of weakening or severance lines 41. The weakening lines 41 are preferably formed by wavy or undulating cuts through the cardboard of the blank 22a, which cuts are preferably entirely through the cardboard, but discontinuous, as at 42, to leave tags upon severance along the weakened lines or cuts. The

cuts 41 are extended laterally outward beyond the folds.

311a and 32a and continue transversely across the side flaps 35a and 36a. It will be noted that the cuts 41 are located so that each cut extends outward through the side flaps 66a into a respective cut out 37a, thus being located on opposite sides of the tab 38a. The cuts 41 may be considered as defining of the area therebetween a strip 43 extending transversely across the main blank portion 39a and continuing across the side flaps 35a and In order to form the top part 22 of the box from the blank 22a, the side flaps 35a and 36a and the end flaps 39a and dila' are all bent along their respective adjacent fold lines to depend from the main blank portion 30a, and are secured in their depending relation by any suitable means, such as by adhesively connecting strips 44, see Figure 8. In this condition, the main portion 30;: defines a top wall 30 substantially congruently superposed over and covering the bottompart 21, and the extension fiaps 35a, 36a, 39a and 40a define depending side walls 35, 36, 39 and 40, respectively, extending peripherally about the top wall 30 and conformably surrounding the lower part 21.

A cover sheet 45, preferably formed of paper or other suitable flexible and rupturable materifl is secured in position, as by adhesive or otherwise, substantially completely covering the exterior of the upper part 22. Specifically, the cover sheet 45 completely covers the top wall 39, the opposed end walls 39 and at), the side wall 35, and substantially all of the side wall 36. The covering sheet 45 is provided with a cut out 46 exposing the tab 38:: of the side wall 36. In addition, the cover sheet 45 may be provided with extensions 47 and 48 extending beyond the lower ends or edges of the end walls 39 and 40, respectively, and adhesively secured in facing engagement with the under surface of the bottom member 21 to define hinged connection flaps. That is, the extensions or flaps 47 and 43 hingedly connect the top part 22 to the bottom part 21 upon severance and removal of the strip 43.

More particularly, the opening sequence of operations is illustrated in the Figures 1, 3 and 4. The exposed tab 38a is grasped in the fingers and pulled upward to sever the strip 43 along the weakened lines 41, which action simultaneously severe the portions of the covering sheet 45 adjacent to the lines of weakening. As the cuts or weakening lines 41 are of the undulated form, and extend transversely or across the grain of the cardboard, it is understood that the tags 42 are not subject to inadvertent or accidental tearing, but that the strip 43 can be removed cleanly along the cuts and the tags torn or severed with a minimum of effort. Upon continued pulling of the strip 43, the same is entirely removed from the container 29, leaving the top part 22 in a pair of separated sections each hingedly connected by a respective flap 47 and 48 for swinging movement about such hinged connections to the open condition of Figure 4. The contents (not shown) are then exposed for easy manual access and removal. I

In the slightly modified embodiment of Figure 10, a container 20b is shown in open condition which is similar to the container 20 except for the lower part 21b. That is, the lower part 21b of the container 20b includes a generally rectangular bottom wall b and upstanding side and end walls 26b and 27b to define a receptacle for the goods. Thus, the side walls 26b and end walls 271; of the embodiment of FigurelO replace the formed member 26 of the first-described embodiment; and, the top part 22b may be substantially identical to the top part 22 of the first-described embodiment, having its ends hingedly connected to the underside of the bottom wall 2512.

In the additional embodiment of Figures 11 and 12, a container 28c is shown which is similar to the container 20 except for the lower part 210. In particular, the lower part 21c includes a generally rectangular bottom wall 25c which may carry a formed receptacle 270 secured fast on its upper surface, if desired, However, the bottom wall 25c is provided along each of its longitudinal side edges with a longitudinally coextensive side wall or flap 25c hingedly connected to the bottom wall by a fold line or crease 280 which is formed to yieldably and resiliently urge the flaps 26c laterally outward to the condition shown in Figure 12.

The top part 22c may be substantially identical to the top part 22 of the first-described embodiment, having its ends hingedly connected to the underside of the bottom wall 250. In the closed condition of Figure 11, it is seen that the resiliently outwardly biased upstanding side flaps 26c abut in facing engagement with the inner surfaces of the depending top-part side walls 36c to effectively seal the interior of the box. Of course, the same easy opening operation described hereinbefore is applicable to the form of Figures 11 and 12.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides an easy opening set-up, mailable box which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well-adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An easy opening set-up box comprising a lower part adapted to support goods, a cardboard top Wall covering said lower part, a plurality of cardboard side walls depending from and extending about the periphery of said top wall surrounding said lower' part, there being a pair of generallyparallel lines of weakening formed in said top wall extending there across and continuing across a first pair of spaced side walls, said lines'of weakening defining there between a removable tear strip for severing saidtop Wall and said first pair of spaced side walls, a flexible flap connecting each of a second pair of spaced side walls to said lower part for individual swinging movement of the severed top wall portions relative to said lower part, and a flexible rupturable cover sheet se cured in substantially completely covering relation with said top wall and said side walls and rupturable upon removal of said tear strip, said flexible flaps each being defined by an integral extension of said cover sheet secured to the underside of said lower part, said lines of weakening being defined by cuts formed in said top wall and-first pair ofside walls, and said cover sheet being imperforate and overlying said cuts to exclude foreign matter.

. 2. An easy opening set-up box according to claim 1, said lines of weakening being defined by discontinuous cuts extending generally transversely of the grain of said cardboard top wall and said first pair of side walls.

' 3. An easy opening set-up box according to claim 1, in combination with a pair of upstanding side flaps on opposite side edges of said lower part each in facing engagement with the interior surface of a respective one of a pair of opposed side walls depending from said top wall.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,207,567 Warner July 9, 1940 2,625,316 Stortz Jan, 13, 1953 2,679,349 Mullinix May,25, 1954 2,828,060 Brown Mar. 28, 1958 FOREIGN FATENTS 8,129 Switzerland Feb. 27, 1894 816,075 1951 

